Hurdle



Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED PATENT "OFFICE-f v HURDLE l fRy EllisSquire, Huntington' Park, Calif.v

- n o Application February 7, 1934, serial no. 710,065 17 claims` (o1.272-59) y My invention relates to a hurdle construction to be utilizedin races, preferably running races, and is of 4a type in which thehurdle bar if struck, may be readily kicked to one side without causingthe hurdler to fall.

" An object and featur-eof` my inventioneolnl';

. is that` the post has a. beveled upper edge on each side consideredlengthwise of the lane or course of the .race so that the hurdle bar maytilt downwardlywhen rotated on its pivot, the pivot structure beingexpansible` and allowing the bar to swing over on its side if desired. Ashoulder on lthe beveled upper edge ofthe post limits the rotarymovement of the hurdle barso that it cannot swing across an adjacentlane.

, A further feature of my invention is forming the pivot of a iiexible`cord or cable which is under the tensionof a spring, `or the like,mounted in the hurdle post. This pivotwith the spring` is suiicient tohold the hurdle bar in proper oper-` ative position to allow this tobetilted on its side,

, or to be rotated on its pivot from a position trans'- verseto therunning lane to an inclined position parallel tothe ,running lane. Y,

My inventionis illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention'with thev bar in hurdlingposition. o i Fig. 2 is an 'elevation taken inthedire'ction' ofthe'arrow 2 of Fig. 1, showing the bar dotted when swung to one side. if I Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on'the line 3-3 of `lig.\2 inthedirection of the arrows.

n Fig. 4 'isa horizontal section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2 in thedirection of the arrows.

vFig. 5 is a vertical sectionontheline 5 5 of Fg;2.. j.. j

In my invention, I employ a hollow post or column 11 which is preferablymadebyemploying two side boards 12v, a back board 13p, and ay frontboard 14, leaving a hollow central space 15. Thepost is supported byfeet, there being a longitudi- Vnal foot 16V which is located inalignment with the back board 13 andbelow such board. The iront foot 17extends between the side boards 12 at the bottom of the front board 14.The top of thefoot forms the bottomof the hollow space 15..

At the top of the postor column, a head or bracket 18 is formed of ablock of wood. This has a flat top. surface 19 in alignment with `theupperedge 20 of the rear board landhas an underv side 21 'engaging theuppere'nd. of the `front'board 60 14.` A.This bracket fills the 'spacebetween the side boards12. and extends ,rearwardly to fthe insidefaceof'the board 13`. ',The. various b0ar`d`s,`the feet and the bracket"'are preferably nailed together. j I The two upper sidecorners 2,2 ofthe member 18 are beveled ltthe front portion leaving a right angularshoulder 23.A The upper edge ofeach of the side boards 12 is likewisebeveled at 24 leaving a right angular shoulder 25. .The shoulders 23 and25 are in alignment. A tensionspring 26 is securedto'an eye 27 located`at the bottom of the back board 13 between the sides 12. A cable 28,"or 'the like, is secured to the upper end of the. spring and extendsupwardly through vertical perforations 29 in the bracket 18 andalsothro'ugh a perforationBO in the hurdle bar 31.l This bar isillustrated as resting at its lowerv edge on the flat horizontal surfaceof the bracket 18 and the upper end 32 of thecalole may be knot-r 8,0vtedlor otherwise secured after passing through the bar 31 from itslower'to its uppervedge.

, In the manner of operation of the hurdle, this is set up withipreferably one hurdle bar being only of` suicient length for a singlelane as used in a hurdle race.' The cable 28 forms a vertical pivot forthe bar.. 31 and clamps the end over the bracket suiiiciently tight tothe bracket so that the projectingportion is held` horizontal and inalignment with the bracket 18,A and also in the 9,0 same plane as thefoot 17. If a hurdler strikes the'bar r3-1, if this is only a lighttouch, the bar may turn on .its edge.without rotating onthe pivot formedbythel cable' 28. However', if the bar is given a suflicient kick toforce it to one side, the bar will slide on the beveled faces 22 and.24`but beheld 'from breaking loose from the post by the cable 28 which isalways under tension... The hurdle bar, thus,1when turned to one side,may extend at right angles toits position of' Fig. 1, that is,longitudinally of the running lane, and with its free end extending inthe directionof the runners movements. The shoulders 19- and 25 form alimit to the side swing of the bar 31., Thus it cannot swingsuiiicie'ntly far 105 to `extendinto the lane of the nextadjacentrunner. Manifestly, to return the bar 31 to its position'foranother race or for' a second jump of the: hurdle, it is only necessaryto lift the bar, turn iti on its pivot, which is a loose flexible pivot,11o

and then align the bar with the bracket 18. The back board 13 is formedwith a xed upper section 33 which is nailed to the sides 12 and also tothe bracket 18 and is also attached to the sides 12 at their rear edgefrom the two vertical beads or moldings 34. These form a slot withinwhich is fitted a movable section 35 to the back board. The sections 34and 35 have abevel 36. A rotatablel spring clip 37 may be attached tothe foot 16 at the back and utilized to retain the lower end of theremovable section 35 Vin place. This section has the lower end 27 of thespring attached thereto, therefore, when the section is removed, thefaces on the spring may be released so that when the hurdle is not `inuse the spring is not being continually stretched.

As it is inconvenient sometimes to have a number of separate hurdles forthe different lanes in a hurdle race, I may extend the length of thefoot 1'7 to extend entirely across a track or over a number of lanes,and have a post at each lane secured to this foot,l such post havingvits own hurdle board secured and pivoted in the manner described, and'illustrated ab'ove. Also, some hurdlers prefer having two posts supportlthe hurdle bar, therefore, if desired, I may use a post on which thefree end of the bar 31 may rest but the bar is not attached vto or heldon this post in any manner.

vVarious changes may be made in the details' of construction cf myinvention'without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

`I claim:

l. A hurdle having a single post, `a hurdle bar, a resilient tensionmeans attaching one end of the barto the post and 4with the post holdingthe bar in ahorizontaloperative position, the said tension meanspermitting the bar to rotate on the post when struck by afhurdler, thepost having a horizontal flat surface at the top to engage the undersideof the bar and in cooperation with the tension means Iretaining thebarin its operative position, the opposite sides of the post being beveledand having stop shoulders, the said bar when rotated being adapted tooccupy the inclination of the beveled faces, and stop shoulders to limitthe rotation of the bar. 2. A hurdle as claimed in claim 1, the hurdlebar having a fiat lower edge resting' on the flat top of the post, thesaid tension means being adapfted toy stretch to permit turning olf thehurdle bar on one of the corners of the lower edge of the'bar.

3. A hurdle having a -single hollow post with a bracket at the tophaving a flat upper surface, a hurdle bar having a flat lower edge, atension spring secured to the said bar and adapted to retain the barwith its flat lower edge on the upper surface of thebracket with the barextending horizontally to one side of the post, the said tension springbeing adapted to stretch and permit the bar to turn on the axis ofthepost when struck by a hurdler.

4. A hurdle having a single hollow post `with a bracket on the topextending to one side of the post, -said Abracket having a flathorizontal'upper surface, a .tension spring secured to a cable extendingthrough the. bracket, a hurdle bar having a fiat lower surface, the saidcable being attached to the said bar and supporting the bar in ahorizontalposition when extended outwardly in alignment with theprojecting end of the bracket.

A5. A hurdle as claimed in claim4, the upper end of the post having astop 4shoulder at right the said stop shoulder engaging the bar andlimiting the rotating movement.

'7; A hurdle having a single hollow post with feet on the bottom tosupport the post in an upright position, a bracket at the upper end ofthe post having a Vflat horizontal surface, a tension spring in thepost, a hurdle bar having a flat lower surface resting on the flatsurface of the bracket, means attaching the spring to the bar. to holdthe bar extending laterally to one side of the post in ahorizontalposition.A i

8. A hure-11e as claimed in claim '1, the said pstf being formed ofvertical boardsywith a hollow center space enclosing the spring, theupperend of one vof the boards having a stop shoulder to limit therotation of the bar when struck by a hurdler.

9. A hurdle as claimed in claim '1, the post being formed of a plurality-of Avertical boards formed with a hollow center space enclosing thespring, the upper edge of one of the boards being beveled and the springbeing adapted to stretch and permit rotation of the bar on the axis ofthe post and the downward tilting of the bar to the inclination of thebevel, and a stop shoulder limiting therotation of the bar.

1 0. A hurdle having a single hollow post formed with a back-board, thelower portion of this board being removable, a channel forming means toengage the sides of the removable section, a spring attachedjto theremovable section, a cable connected to the spring, a hurdle bar restingon the top of the post to which said cable is attached.A

13. A hurdle comprising a singley post havingk a hurdle bar, a singlevertical pivot for said bar, a resilienttension means attached to thepivot and the post to retain thebar horizontally on the top of the postyby the downward pull o f the tension means when in its operativeposition, said pivot permitting rotation of the'bar when struck by ahurdler.

14. A hurdle as claimed in claim 13, the said resilient means beingshiftable to permit the outer endof the bar opposite the pivot to tiltdownwardly when rotated on its pivot.

15. A hurdlehaving a single post, a hurdle bar, a vertical pivot throughone end of the bar,

a resilient tension means secured to the pivot and to the post andvretaining the bar ina horizontal operative position on the post, the barbeing adapted to rotate on its pivot when struck by a hurdler and thesaid resilient means permitting a movement of thepivot from its verticalengage the bar and to limit the rotation of the bar on its pivot.

1'?. A hurdle as claimed in claim 15, the upper end of the prost beingbeveled on opposite sides` to retain the bar at a desired inclinationwhen tilted, and a stop shoulder at each bevel to engage the bar andlimit the rotation of the bar.

ROY ELLIS SQUIRE.

